Thousands of Masks
by Sapphire09
Summary: P3XNaruto crossover story. Minato Arisato never did exist. He is but another of his identity. The identity he used when he got fed up with everything. A/n: I'm pretty bad summary, don't I?
1. 00 ProLoGuE

**Sapphire09: **P3XNaruto Crossover !!

**Disclaimer:** P3 is owned by ATLUS while NARUTO is by MASASHI KISHIMOTO-sensei.

My warning is some misspelled words and grammars, also spoilers.

**

* * *

PROLOGUE**

_Time never waits,_

_It delivers us all equally to the same end._

_You, who wish to safeguard the future,_

_However limited it may be…_

_You will be given one year;_

_Go forth without falter,_

_With your heart as you're guide…_

He walks through the busy street and passes a commercial screen. People around him chatted about things that he's not interested in. On his ears were headphones as he tried to separate himself from the world.

He keeps on walking through the part of the town, until he finally arrived at the Port Island station.

The boy was standing in the train as a voice came over the speakers. _"Attention, passengers. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused for the delay."_

He closed his eyes and look towards the window, to the dark scenery._ "__The next stop is Iwatodai, Iwatodai.__"_. He actually saw nothing, only his reflection. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't realize that the train already stopped.

As the door slides open, he walks out from the train. _"Iwatodai. Iwatodai. This is the final train belt for the Port Island."_

The boy stepped off the train and onto the station. He ignores the announcement and walks away. He takes out a piece of paper. Behind him, there's a clock, it was just almost twelve midnight. The clock turned to twelve and the boy's player stopped working "Huh…?"

The boy looked as the lights went off and the room went dark. The moon turned yellow and shone a green light. The boy only sighed as he moved to the door.

Under the almost full moon, the boy walked through the streets of the boy walked the streets and looked at the coffins that lined it. He looks to his map, on it there was a strange symbol a circle that was divided into four pieces, colored in black and white with red circling the circle. Looking from the map to the street he turned to a building and walked inside.

He stepped in. He then removes the headphones and put it around his neck.

"You're late." A voice said as he removes his headphones. Turning to his left, he saw a small child behind a table. He had black hair and bright blue eyes. He wore a white and black striped shirt.

"I've been waiting a long time for you." with a snap of his hand the mysterious boy was in front of him.

"Now if you want to proceed…," he said as he gestured to a document on the table next to him. "Please sign your name there," he said. "It's a contract. Don't worry, all it says is that you'll accept full responsibility for your actions. You know, the usual stuff."

The boy turned his eyes to a quill pen next to it. He picked it up and starts to sign it. He doesn't know why, but he felt that he should sign it by his real name.

Naruto Namikaze

* * *

**Sapphire09:** I know it's kinda weird of a story... T.T

But still...

* * *


	2. 01 FaCaDe

**Sapphire09**: I didn't change the beginning storyline, but it'll get different as the story went on ^^

Again, sorry for any misspelled words and grammar ^^. The other warning is the spoilers.

* * *

**CHAPTER I**_  
Facade

* * *

_

The mysterious boy took the book and takes step back. As he did, he said, "No one can escape time, it deliver us all to the same end."

He then holds up the contract to his eye level, covering his right part of his face as he said, "You can't plug your ears and cover your eyes." The contract then disappeared. He then moves farther back to the darkness. The place then grew dark /and only the boy's eyes shone bright blue.

"And so it begins," he said as he disappeared. The room went dark in the minute he can't sense the mysterious boy's presence anymore.

"Who's there!" said a voice. He turned to the source of the voice. There stood a brunette. Breathing heavily, she reaches for the gun that is in the holster on her right thigh. As she pulls her gun, a voice then cried out.

"Takeba, wait!" The two looked to see a red haired girl standing near the stairs. The brunette that is called 'Takeba' looked at the girl with a smile as the lights turned on. His player also turned on again.

"I didn't think you'd arrive so late," the redhead said. "My name is Mitsuru Kirijo. I'm one of the students who live in this dorm," she said.

"Who's he?" the brunette asked.

"He's Minato Arisato. He's a transfer student. It was a last minute decision to assign him here." Mitsuru answered. "He'll eventually be moved to a room in the boy's dorm," she said.

"… Is it ok for him to be here?" the brunette asked the redhead. "I guess we'll see," Mitsuru answered with a smile. "This is Yukari Takeba," Mitsuru said as she points at the brunette.

"She'll be a junior this spring, just like you," she said.

"…Hey," Yukari said unsure.

"Nice to meet you," he said flatly. "Uh, y-yeah… Nice to meet you, too…" she said.

"It's getting late, so you should get some rest. Your room is on the second floor, at the end of the hallway. Your things should already be there," Mitsuru said.

"Oh… I'll show you the way. Follow me," Yukari said before she led him up the stairs.

==//==//==//==//==

"This is it…," Yukari said as they arrived to the dorm room. "Pretty easy to remember, huh? …Since its right at the end of the hall," she continued. "Oh yeah, make sure you don't lose your key, or you'll never hear the end of it…," she warned.

"So, any questions?" she asked.

"…No, not really," he said.

Yukari stayed quiet for a second and then said something "Um… can I ask you something?" she asked.

"On your way here from the station, was everything okay?"

He looked at her for awhile and said "Yeah."

"I see…. Never mind then."

"Well, I'd better get going…" Yukari said as she starts to walks away. However, she then stops midway.

"Um… I'm sure you still have other questions, but let's save them for later, okay? Good night," she said before she went to her own room.

After she left, he went to inside his own dorm room. "Not bad…. Kind of reminds me of my old apartment room," he mutters to himself. He sees that his things are already in there. He then saw a mirror that is hanging on the wall near a sink. He walks toward the mirror, to see the reflection that is very not him.

"Looks like I did an amazing job…" he muttered. He then opens up the water tap and began washing his face. He then looks back up to the mirror.

On his cheek, there were three pairs of lines marred like whiskers mark. He also put off the grayish contact lenses from his eye, revealing his brilliant blue orbs once again.

"I wonder… Will they notice me if they ever see me like this?" he then chuckled bitterly. He runs his fingers through his now navy blue hair.

"I'm sure they won't… Not even Sasuke or Sakura or even Kakashi will notice me. My disguise is perfect…," Naruto mutters as he twirled his few strands of his long bangs with his finger. He then walks to bed and close his eyes.

"I can't believe it's already been two years…."

==//==//==//==//==

_**Konohagakure no Sato – Two years ago**_

"_Is this some stupid prank of yours?" Tsunade exclaimed in disbelief. There, in front of her, the fourteen years old Naruto standing in front of her with a letter that say that he resign from ninja duties in his hand. Beside him is Hinata that held an exact same thing._

"_We're not joking, Tsunade-sama. We're serious. I was disowned by my own father. I have no purpose to stay here anymore. I already decided to follow Naruto," Hinata stated firmly. She didn't stutter, meaning that she already thought this over many times before. She is sure of her choice._

"_As for me… I've tried to find a reason to stay, far too many times. But I still can't find anymore reason to stay here. I'm tired… Hokage-sama. I can only endure so much of this… and I can't do this anymore. I need to leave." Naruto said as he unconsciously gripped his chest, where his heart should be…_

"_W-what about your dream… Naruto?" Tsunade asked weakly. "That alone can't be enough reason for me," Naruto answered._

_Tsunade then look at both of them. "Then… what about… your friends?"_

_Naruto didn't answer and neither did Hinata. "Will you ever come back?" Tsunade asked finally._

"_We won't come back. We will be leaving for good, never to return. You can try to trace us, but you will never find us. You may catch up to us, but we'll be gone before you even realize that we're there."_

_They then walk away toward the door. "You can count on that, Tsunade-sama."_

_They then left, leaving a confused and heartbroken Tsunade._

==//==//==//==//==

**4/7. Tuesday**

He woke early to put his disguise again. It's simple, really. He let his hair grows and dye his hair in permanent navy blue and put a kind of foundation on his face to cover the scars. The contact lenses also did an amazing job to conceal his eyes. After he was done putting the foundation and the contact lenses, someone knock his door. He then turns his attention towards the door.

"It's Yukari. Are you awake?" the voice from outside the door asked. Naruto then walks to the door and opens it. Yukari then walks in to face him.

"Good morning, Arisato-kun. Did you sleep okay?" she asked. Naruto didn't reply.

"Mitsuru-senpai asked me to take you to school. It's getting late, so… Are you ready to go?" she asked.

"Yeah, I think I'm ready," Naruto said with a little smile.

"Okay. Then, let's go."

==//==//==//==//==

The two stood on the train as Yukari finished the brief tour from the Iwatodai Station and Port Island Station, "So, that's it."

From across the window, they can see that the city came into view. "See? There it is," Yukari said. Naruto looked on in amazement as he saw the town. '_It has been 10 years, since I saw this place. There are lots of things that have changed,_' he thought.

They then arrived to the school. Naruto walked down the yard next to Yukari as the gate came into view. "Well this is it…. We're here. Welcome to Gekkoukan High School. Hope you'll like it," Yukari said in welcome.

==//==//==//==//==

**Gekkoukan High School, Main Lobby – Early Morning**

"You're okay from here, right?" Yukari said as they arrived. They were near the entrance, near the shoe lockers at the main lobby.

"You should go see your homeroom teacher first," she said. She then points to an archway, "The faculty office is right there to the left. Do you have any questions before I go?"

"Which class are you in?" Naruto asked in curiosity. He was kind of hoping they will be in the same class, so there will be at least someone that he knew, so he won't feel like a total stranger.

"Me? I dunno… I haven't looked at the classroom assignments yet." Yukari said. She then said goodbye, but then she turns back to him.

"Hey… About last night, don't tell anyone what you saw, okay? … See ya later," she then walks away. After she's gone, Naruto saw that many people standing in front of the bulletin board. He decided to check it out. It was class rosters. At first, he didn't find his name, but after he checks it again, he found a small note with his alias name on it. It said; "Minato Arisato – Class F"

==//==//==//==//==

**Mori Town – Hasakuya High School, Lunchtime**

_(a/n: nope, I don't know whether this place really exist or not. It came from my imagination.)_

"Jun!!" a brunette calls the indigo haired girl from the end of the hall. The girl turns to the source of the voice. 'Jun' has a long straight dark indigo hair that went down to her hips with long bangs framing either side of her face and a strand of hair that fall to her nose. She also has healthy pale skin and dull brown eyes. She wore a white jacket that covers up to her neck rather than the school dark green blazer, with button-up collared shirt underneath and green school skirt, white loose socks and black shoes.

"Midori-san," 'Jun' stated in monotone. Midori frowned slightly before she is back to her usual cheery self. Midori is a brunette with her hair tied in two ponytails that have two bright brown eyes. She wore her uniform with black socks and black shoes. There's an aura of friendliness emitted from her.

"I can't believe we're in the same class again!!" she said ecstatically. She then suddenly realizes a trio behind Jun.

"Hey, Jun! Look! Look over there!" Midori stated as she points towards somewhere behind Jun. She only looks slightly behind her in disinterest. She already knew what she'll see.

There, near the 2-3 class door, two guys and a girl chatted in low voice, as if discussing something serious. One of the guys have black hair with long bangs framed his face and his hair spiked on the back. His eyes are also in the same shade of black. He wore the usual school uniform, white button-up collared shirt, half-way buttoned dark green jacket, dark green slacks, and black leather shoes.

Another guy is a redhead. His hair is in deep red and slightly spiky. His eyes are dull aquamarine. There are also rings around his eyes, signs of insomnia. The weird thing about him that he doesn't have eyebrows and there's a kind of a tattoo on his left forehead. He wore the usual school uniform too, but he only put the jacket around his shoulder.

The only girl of the group has the oddest color of hair, pink with red ribbon as a hair band. Her eyes were jaded green. She wear red Chinese-style jacket outside her school uniform.

"Aren't they just the cutest ever?! I wish I was Haruno-san! To be able to get near Uchiha-san and Sabaku-san, even just to get near them… Is the most wonderful thing ever!! The students in class 2-3 sure are lucky to have them this year," she exclaimed.

"They only been here in the second semester of the sophomore year, half of it in fact, but they already have fan clubs! Can you believe that! Too bad that rumors said they never stay in one place for too long. They said that they'll be moving out every six months or even in the exchange student program since they were all top students. I wonder why, though," Midori mused. "Ah! That's right! Miku-chan said that you'll be moving too around this semester, right?"

Jun nodded slightly, before she said her goodbyes, then leaving her and walks to her own class, 2-A. She passes the trio on her way; however, they just ignore her and continue talking in hushed tone that is impossible for ordinary people to hear.

Too bad that 'Jun' is not an ordinary person.

"-not here. Maybe we should ask the others. I hope they'll be faring better than us," Sakura whispered.

"The school that Neji entered has no clues and neither do Shino's and Shikamaru's," Sasuke said flatly, still with a hint of desperation in his voice.

"Where could they be…. It's already two years and still… no clue on them."

"We should investigate more. There are still things that we haven't checked yet."

"Yeah…right…," Sasuke said weakly.

'_They really are stubborn…,'_ 'Jun' thinks in her mind, before inwardly smirked at their foolishness. She then closes the classroom door and walk towards her seat.

'_If they can't even recognize me, they will never be able to recognize Naruto.'_

* * *

**Sapphire09:** So... whaddaya think?


	3. 02 ReaSoN

**Sapphire09:** Here you go! Another Chapter ^^

Again, the only warning here is grammar errors and misspelled words :(

Enjoy!

**

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CHAPTER II**_  
Reason_

**4/7. Tuesday  
Gekkoukan High School, 2F homeroom – After School**

A boy with a cap walks up to him. "'Sup, dude? How's it goin'?"

"What do you want?" Naruto asked harshly. He's not in the mood to talk suddenly.

The student then has a dejected look on his face. "Oh, come on. Let me introduce myself, at least. I'm Junpei Iori. Nice to meet ya," he introduced.

"…And?"

"I transferred here when I was in 8th grade. I know how though it is bein' the new kid, so I wanted to say, 'hey'. See what a nice guy I am!" he said. Yukari then walks to them.

"Hey, it's Yuka-tan! I didn't think we'd be in the same class again," Junpei said cheerily to Yukari when he see her. Sighing, Yukari then said, "At it again, huh? I swear you'll talk to anyone if they'll listen. Did you ever think that you might be bothering someone?"

"What? But I was just bein' friendly." Junpei countered. "If you say so," Yukari said. She then turned to Naruto.

"Anyway, looks like we're in the same homeroom…" Yukari said. "Yeah, I know," Naruto said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Funny, huh?"

"Um, hello? Are you forgetting that I'm in this class too?" Junpei said since he was ignored. "By the way, I heard you two came to school together this morning," he added teasingly.

"What's up with that? C'mon, gimme the dirt!" he continue teasing.

"Wh-What are you talking about? We live in the same dorm. There's nothing going on, okay?" Yukari countered. "Why are people even talking about it? Now you have me worried…" she said. She then put her attention back to Naruto.

"Hey, you didn't say anything to anyone about… you know what, did you?" Yukari asked suspiciously. Naruto only nodded. "Okay, good," she said in relief. "Seriously, don't say anything about last night, alright?" she said again to stress it. Junpei that hear it have shock etched on his face. Obviously he was thinking it in the wrong way. Yukari realize his stare, so she asked, "Wh-What?"

"L-Last night…?"

"W-Wait a minute! Don't get the wrong idea!" she said in defense. Junpei didn't seem to listen, though.

"Listen! I just met him yesterday, and there's absolutely nothing between us! Geez…" she explained.

"I've gotta go. I've got something to take care of for the archery team. But, you better not start any rumors!" Yukari said threateningly to Junpei. She then left the classroom.

"Ah, who cares? No one takes rumors seriously, anyway. She's so paranoid," Junpei said to himself after she was gone. He then turns to Naruto again.

"But, hey! It's your first day here and people already talkin' about you! Believe it or not, she's actually pretty popular. You da man!" he said. He then starts chuckling to himself.

"Heheh, this is gonna be a fun year, I can feel it!" Junpei said energetically.

==//==//==//==//==

_Pipipipipipip_

His cell phone is ringing. He is at Port Island station now, on his way to the dorm. He picks it up to hear a very familiar male voice. "Hello..?"

"_Hello, Naruto-kun. How's your first day?"_

He let out a small smile before replying as he lifts his head toward the afternoon sky, "Not so bad. How are things at Tsukimoto High School?"

"_Nothing much, actually. The weapon mistress, the Hyuuga senior, Rock Lee, and Maito Gai is here. I still can't really believe that they don't recognize me, especially when I'm their homeroom teacher."_

"That's a surprise... Well, it shouldn't be since they never saw your face, anyway. Hinata said the one that is in her school is Sakura, Sasuke, Gaara, and Kakashi," Naruto replied.

"_It seems that their next and last target is Gekkoukan. I think they'll be there around June at an exchange program. For Gai's team, expect them around August 3__rd__, right at the second term."_

"Of course. I still have plenty of time. Thanks for the information…"

He smiled as he hung up. "That Iori kid is right. Things will surely be fun…" he muttered.

==//==//==//==//==

**Mori Town, Hasakuya School Boys Dorm - Late Night**

Sasuke let himself fall on the bed in his dorm room. His eyes look up to the white ceiling above him. He then closes his eyes and then opens it again halfway.

_**Konohagakure no Sato – 2 years ago**_

"_What did you say?"_

"_He left. He already resign from ninja duties and leave the village," Tsunade said full of sorrow. _

_Silence then filled the room, and it's suffocating._

"_Why?" Sasuke managed to ask._

"_He said he ran out of reasons to stay…" Tsunade said. Sasuke's eyes widened, but he soon regained his composure._

"_Reason…?" he repeated it, trying to make sense of it._

"_REASON!? That's all!? If a reason he wanted then I'll give him plenty of reason!!" he yelled uncontrollably. Many emotions mixed inside of him._

"_If it was that easy, he won't leave just like that. He needs real reason, not some trivial reason, but real and very important. And, he didn't have any reason that fit the category."_

"_What about us all!? Aren't we their friend? Isn't that enough reason already!?" he yelled again. Tsunade only look at him sadly._

"…_He… didn't think us as his friends?" he said. It hurts when he said it. He hoped that that's not it._

"_It's more like that you didn't think of him as a friend, or you never act like one. He's a human, not a God that knows it all. Your actions made him confused and so he decided not to get his hopes high. Especially what you did to him two years ago…" Sasuke widened his eyes, before he bows his head down, letting his bangs hides his face. The silence that fills the room is suffocating_

"_Do the others knew about this?" he asked without lifting his face._

"_No, not yet. We think that it's best that his teammates are the one that knows for now. But since Sakura and Kakashi are not available, you're the only one that knew besides Jiraiya and Shizune. I'm planning to tell team 8 too, since Hinata also defected."_

"_What..?"_

_Sasuke can't believe what he heard. Naruto left? Never, even in his wildest imagination, Naruto would leave the village that he swore to protect. Moreover, he was very surprised that Hinata also leaves. She was a timid, shy girl. He may do not know much about her, but he was sure that she would be the last person besides Naruto that will leave Konoha._

"_There may be a chance we can find them, but I don't know if we can bring them back. All we can do is hope, that they won't be too stubborn when we find them… if we ever find them, that is…"_

_Just then, he felt a sudden loneliness flowing through his veins. Now he understands how Naruto felt when he left Konoha…_

Sasuke lift his arm and put it on his face, guarding his half-lidded eyes from view. The dark room of his dorm room feels even darker to him.

"Dammit, Dobe… where the hell are you…"

==//==//==//==//==

**4/8. Wednesday  
Iwatodai Dorm, Main Lobby – Evening**

"Oh, he's back," Yukari said as he came in.

"So, this is our new guest," a man that looks like a sophisticated gentleman said as he saw him. He then stands up from his seat and walk to him.

"Good evening. My name is Shuji Ikutsuki. I'm the Chairman of the Board for your school," he introduce himself. "Ikutsuki…" he then chuckled a bit. "Hard to say, isn't it? That's why I don't like introducing myself. Even I get tongue-tied sometimes," he said.

"Please, have a seat," he offered. Shuji then go back to the chair he was sitting, also with Yukari. Naruto then takes a vacant place on Yukari's right.

"I apologize about the confusion regarding your accommodations. However, it may take a while longer before you receive the proper room assignment. Is there anything you'd like to ask?" he asked at last.

There is some things he wanted to ask, like why is the Chairman here, who live in this dorm besides him, Yukari, and Mitsuru, and what did he saw the other night, the coffins that lined up on the street. Most of all, he wanted to know about the contract that he signed the other night. But, he decides to keep silent. He had a guess that they wouldn't answer it honestly.

"No, I'm good," he said at last.

"Are you sure?" Chairman Ikutsuki asked back mysteriously that makes him gulped a bit.

"Then, I hope you have a successful school year. Now, if you'll excuse me," he then stand up from his seat. "You must be tired from all the excitement. You should go to bed early. As they say, 'The early bird catches the bookworm!' …Please forgive the pun," he then chuckled at his own lame joke. He then walks away.

"Sorry about that. You'll get used to his lame jokes," Yukari said when Shuji left. Naruto then decided to go to his room.

At his room, he removes his contact lenses silently and decided to sleep in his disguise. He had a hunch he will be watched tonight. And his intuition is usually right.

==//==//==//==//==

**Iwatodai Dorm, Command Room – Late Night**

"Working hard?"

Shuji said to Mitsuru and Yukari that are sitting on the chairs in front of a screen. "So, how's he doing?" he asked. Mitsuru and Yukari then stand up from their seats.

"He went to bed a little while ago. He's asleep now. Mr. Chairman, do you think he's-?,"

"Well, let's wait and see for now. The Dark Hour is approaching."

==//==//==//==//==

**Dark Hour**

Naruto that lay asleep on his bed feels something unfamiliar runs through his spine. He did an excellent job in hiding it, so for outsiders, he seems asleep soundly. He then saw a checkered path, and suddenly he arrived in a room that looks like an elevator that keeps going up, decorated in velvet color.

"Welcome to the velvet room, my dear young man," a long-nosed man said from across him as he turned to see the man.

==//==//==//==//==

"Hmm ... He's still sleeping."

Shuji said as he observes him though the screen. "He didn't Transmogrified either."

"Then, he must be..." Yukari exclaimed partly.

"Yes, he might be. He's asleep, but he's definitely experiencing the Dark Hour. The only question that remains is whether or not he has the potential. Although, he must... If he didn't, they would've preyed on him by now," Shuji said.

"Scary..."

"In any case, we should continue to monitor him for a few more days," Shuji said. Mitsuru then nodded.

"I feel kinda bad, though, spying on him like this..." Yukari said. There's a tint of guilt in her voice.

* * *

**Sapphire09:** ...Aaanndd, done!

By the way, Hasakuya and Tsukimoto High School are places that I created for the sake of some of the chapters, but I won't go to detailed information on them, except for uniform ^^

So, whaddaya think? Please tell me!! ^^

__!!Push this button!!__

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	4. 03 PerSoNa

**Sapphire09: **Here it is! Another Chapter. My only warning is probably some grammar mistakes... and spelling...

Please, enjoy!

**

* * *

CHAPTER III**_  
Persona

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_

"_In any case, we should continue to monitor him for a few more days," Shuji said. Mitsuru then nodded._

"_I feel kinda bad, though, spying on him like this..." Yukari said. There's a tint of guilt in her voice._

==//==//==//==//==

"My name is Igor. … I am delighted to make your acquaintance," he greeted. Naruto gave him a look of doubt, but he ignores his look and gesture to the woman on his left.

"This is Elizabeth. She's a resident here, like myself," he introduced. "Pleased to meet you," she said.

"Where am I? The last thing I remembered that I went to bed in Iwatodai Dorm. Where is this place, exactly?" he asked a bit demandingly. He didn't feel the need to keep his façade right now. He's in an enclosed space that seems unreachable. Igor only looks at him for a while before answering him.

"This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter… It's been years since we have a guest." A red folder then suddenly appeared on the table between them. With a move of his right hand, the map then opened to reveal the document he signed at that night.

'_The contract that I signed at the lounge…_'

"Only those who have signed the contract can enter this place. Henceforth, you shall be welcome here in the Velvet Room. You are destined to hone your unique ability, and you will require my help to do so."

Naruto look at him suspiciously. He is sure that the ability he's talking about is neither his ninja ability nor the Kyuubi. Though it may be unusual, it cannot be called as unique. There are people out there that have even more unique natural powers.

'_Like people who have bloodline limit, for instance.'_

However, he is interested by what is he talking about. "What's the catch?" he asked.

"Well, I only ask one thing in return… that you abide by the contract and assume responsibility for the choices you will make," he said. Naruto then feel that something is off. He begins to think that if the last thing he remembered that he's sleeping in the dorm, and this place exist between dream and reality, that means…

"Is this a dream?" he asked stupidly. Igor smiled his creepy smile and said, "Precisely… You are fast asleep in the real world as we speak. This visit of yours is merely a dream. However, you will come here of your own accord, sooner or later."

"Huh?" Naruto exclaimed confusedly.

"Hold on to this," Igor said. He then gave him a velvet key.

"'Till we meet again…"

Everything then just fades into black.

==//==//==//==//==

Slowly, he opens his eyes to see the sight of the ceiling of his room. _'That was one weird dream…'_

He then rose from his bed and began to prepare himself. He glanced towards the hidden camera in his room before positioning himself so his front won't be seen in the camera. When he's sure he won't be seen, he removes the foundation and puts on a new layer of it and wears the contact lenses. After he's sure everything look good, he look at the time and decided to go to school.

==//==//==//==//==

**4/9. Thursday**

**Gekkoukan High School Gate – Early Morning**

"Yo, Minato!" Junpei called when he saw him near the entrance. _'Maybe I shouldn't change my first name. I felt that he called my father instead of me,'_ Naruto thinks inwardly. He then slowly walks toward Junpei.

"What's up? Man, today is …" Junpei went on and Naruto only stand there listening. Seeing him full of energy like that kind of reminds himself of his own self two years ago.

'_Before I finally ran out of the things I can make myself happy there, that is…'_ he thought bitterly.

"You sure are full of energy. Did something happen?" Naruto said. Hearing that, Junpei starts again, "Yes, something did! Dude, listen to this…" he suddenly stops.

"Oh, wait! I'm not supposed to say anything! Sorry, man," Junpei said before he chuckled. Naruto can only raise an eyebrow in curiosity.

==//==//==//==//==

**Gekkoukan High School – Lunchtime**

Naruto decided to take a look around the school. On his way, he passes the music club room. Before he realizes it, his feet already take him inside.

'_It's empty…'_

He takes a look at the club room. Many kinds of instrument are there. Slowly, his hand is reaching for the grand piano near him. He approaches it and he can't stand the urge to play it, so he starts playing. As he played, a memory resurfaced.

[Song : Numb by Linkin Park (Piano Instrumental Version)]

"_You filthy demon! How dare you to stay in this village!"_

"_Monster! You shouldn't even live!"_

"_Why can't you go somewhere far and die like a pathetic scum you are!!"_

_They said to him as they beat him mercilessly. He didn't try to defend himself simply because he doesn't want hurt them. As they beat him to death, he can only lay on the street with dead eyes._

_After they were done, he crawls back to his apartment and take care of his wound. When he arrived, he's no different than a zombie. As he tried to find a bandage, he heard a sound of something dropped. He then looks back towards the sound._

_There, on the floor, there's a picture with broken frame. He reaches for it and sees that it was him, long ago, when he was three. There's also a man and a woman, also an older child that looks very similar to Sasuke. They were all sitting on the stairs of the shrine._

_The woman has straight auburn hair that fall to her shoulder and holding little Naruto on her arms. Sitting next her there's a man with short navy blue hair. In the middle, the child that looks like Sasuke, but with shoulder-length black hair sat. He has two lines on each of his cheek, under his eyes. There's writing under the portrait._

'_Naganaki Shrine. Me, Itachi onii-san, Miyako okaa-san and Rikuto otou-san'_

_The memories resurfaced when he saw the picture. Happy ones… Silly ones… Even the sad ones. He smiled at the photograph. He then put it back to the place it was. He forgot about the bandage and walk to his room. As he arrived on the bed, he soon fell asleep because of the mental exhaustion he had. As he fell asleep, he formed a plan for a few days later. A plan on how he will go to the first place that teaches him compassion, and never to look back to his past._

DING DING DING

He stopped abruptly as the bell ringed, signing that the lunch break is over. He hurriedly stands up and run towards his class.

'_Why did I reminiscing about it now!?'_

==//==//==//==//==

**Iwatodai Dorm – Late Night**

"...How is he?" Ikutsuki asked the girls as he sat on one of the seats in the Command Room.

Just like last night, Naruto slept in his disguise again but his lenses. His instinct on things like that is always sharp.

"...The same as last night," Mitsuru answered.

"Hmm... Very Interesting. Even those who have the Potential tend to be unstable at first. But, this subject is rather unique. He hasn't exhibited any of the common symptoms," Shuji exclaimed.

"But... we're treating him like a guinea pig," Yukari said. There's guilt hinted in her tone.

"I understand your concern, but it's imperative that we recruit new members. I heard he's your classmate... Wouldn't you be more comfortable working with someone from the same grade?" Shuji said.

"Yeah, I guess. But, still..."

A beeping sound then ringed. Mitsuru hurriedly answered it.

"Command room. ...Is that you, Akihiko?" Mitsuru tried to confirm.

"_You're not gonna believe this...! This thing is huge! Unfortunately, I don't have time to talk... It's chasing me... I wanted to let you guys know, I'm almost there,"_ Akihiko said through the receiver. Everyone then gasped in fear.

"Does that mean... he's bringing that thing here!?" Yukari exclaimed in realization.

"Mr. Chairman! Let's suspend our observation for now. We'll prepare for battle!"

"...R-Right! Be careful!"

==//==//==//==//==

The sound of commotion makes him regained his consciousness. Since he's curious, he changed his clothes and walk towards the door. He decided to leave his contact lenses since he can see that it's very dark right now.

'_Besides, the lenses will only hinder my sight in this already dark environment.'_

Just then, he saw bright light emitting from his window. He looked outside to see a beautiful full moon.

"It's awfully big. Is it full moon already? Time sure flies fast…" he muttered before he reaches for the door.

Before he manages to reach the door, Yukari came knocking on his door. "Wake up!" she yelled from the other side of the door. Before he can even walk for one step, Yukari yelled again, "Sorry, I'm coming in!"

She then came rushing through the door and Naruto have to take one step backwards. "I was woken up by the noise. What's wrong?" Naruto asked.

"I don't have time to explain. We have to get out of here, now!" Yukari said. The dorm then suddenly rumbling and a crashing sound can be heard.

"Hurry! We'll leave through the back door downstairs!" Just as they were going to go, Yukari halted. She then gave him a short sword.

'…_This blade is in poor quality… and too small for my liking….'_ he thinks in his head, but he didn't care enough to comment. He then just follows her to the back door.

When Yukari thought they're saved, Mitsuru called. _"Takeba, do you read me?"_ she said through the cell phone.

"Y-Yes! I hear you!" Yukari replied.

"_Be careful!_" Mitsuru warned, "_There's more than one enemy! The one we're fighting isn't the one Akihiko saw!"_

"What!?"

Just then, banging sound can be heard from the door. Gasping, Yukari then tells him to pull back. They can also hear that whatever that is outside the dorm is trying to break its way in though the doors that is downstairs. They have to go further up. They keep on running upstairs.

As they ran, Naruto caught a glimpse of the 'thing' when he took a quick look to the window near him. His eyes widened in surprise. At the fourth floor, a loud crash can be heard from downstairs and it was getting closer. They decide to keep moving. Not long, they then reach the top floor.

There was an emergency exit that leads to the roof. Yukari hurriedly lock the door when they're finally outside. She sighed in relief when she thought that they finally saved. However, it didn't last long. Sounds of something climbing the building can be heard, and it's getting closer to where they're at. Gasping, she looks back.

There, under the bright moonlight they saw a creature with many arms, one of it holding up a blue mask. When creature saw them, the arms pull out silver blades, and begin to crawls to where they're currently standing. Naruto can't really tell whether he should be surprised or excited. He hasn't done any action in the last few years, after all.

"Those monster… We call them Shadows.."

Yukari hurriedly pulls her gun and points it to her head. She pulls the trigger several times. In her attempts, the creature attacks her, making her lose balance and dropped her gun. The gun then slides and ended near his feet.

Naruto looks at the gun then at the Shadow. Just then, time seems to stop. Images appeared in his head.

He looks to his hand to see a key. _The Velvet Key_. He also saw the kid from the last time. He's pointing his finger to his own head. The motion looks like to shoot you own head with a gun.

"_Can you do it?"_

==//==//==//==//==

"There!" Akihiko said when they finally located him and Yukari.

"Let's go, Akihiko!" Just when they're about to leave to help them, Ikutsuki stopped them.

"Wait."

==//==//==//==//==

He grabbed the gun and holds it with his two hands. It seems the kid in his head wants him to point the gun to his head. _'Should I…'_

Cold sweat slowly falls down from his head, but not long, those doubts just vanished. His grip on the gun stop shaking, and he never felt that sure ever since he decides to go from his village. Smirking, he then pulls the trigger.

"Per…so…na..."

Thousands of blue lights appeared in glass-breaking effect. The scattering glass fragments then swirling around, then a figure appeared from the fragments. Yukari can only looks at him in awe.

"_**Thou art I and I am thou. From the sea of thy soul I cometh. I am Orpheus, Master of Strings"**_

After that, Orpheus then gives a loud inhuman cry.

==//==//==//==//==

"As we suspected…" Mitsure muttered while Akihiko only grunted his agreement.

==//==//==//==//==

Naruto smirked. The surge of power that he felt is great. He feels as if he can do anything. But then, he felt an incredible pain. From inside Orpheus, something is trying to break through. The metal body of Orpheus then destroyed to pieces, and the creature that emerged from him then let out an inhuman roar.

"Ugh!! AAAHHHH!!!" Naruto cried in pain. The power he felt is just too much. He felt as if he was ripped apart. The creature that emerged from Orpheus starts to attack the shadow mercilessly. Yukari that's already on her two feet can only stare at it fearfully before she falls to her knees again. When the Shadow is killed, the creature then let out another roar, before returning back into Orpheus under the light of the full moon.

==//==//==//==//==

"…!!" Mitsuru gasped.

"What on earth is that!?" Akihiku exclaimed.

"…!" Ikutsuki is at loss of words.

==//==//==//==//==

Naruto looks up to Orpheus that's floating in front of him before it disappeared into him. The swell of power he felt earlier has finally subsided.

"Is it over?" Yukari asked. But then, two Cowardly Maya came crawling to them. Naruto then come forward. Using the gun again, he summoned Orpheus again and using Bash skill to both of them. Actually, he wanted to use Rasengan, but then he thought it'll be better to familiarize himself with this… ability.

After the fight, Naruto felt very tired. The unlimited stamina he used to have is all drained earlier when that creature appeared from Orpheus. So, he fainted. Faintly, he can hear Yukari's, Mitsuru's, and another man's voice near him as he fainted.

==//==//==//==//==

Again, before he realizes it, he was back into the Velvet Room.

"It's so nice to see you again," Igor said from across him. "What happened?" Naruto asked. His memory is blurred out.

"You became unconscious after awakening to your "Power." ...It's nothing to worry about, though. So, just relax," Igor said. Naruto that felt very weak at the moment only nodded.

"By the way... I see it was Orpheus that heeded your calling. That power is called a Persona... It is the manifestation of your psyche," he begun explaining.

"What are you talking about?" Naruto asked again.

"It may take some time to fully comprehend. A persona is a facet of your personality that surfaces as you react to external stimuli... You can think of it as a mask that protects you as you brave many hardships. You must understand about the mask, since you wore them all the time. Even your… current identity as 'Arisato Minato' is nothing but a mask," he said. Naruto then let his mind wonder for a bit.

"So you mean a Persona is my other self, another part of me?" Naruto asked. Igor nodded. "That being said, your power is still weak..." he continues.

"What do you mean by 'weak'?"

"When you use your Persona ability, you must channel your inner strength. The ability evolves as you develop your Social Links--your emotional ties with others. The stronger your Social Links, the more powerful your Persona ability. Please remember that," Igor explained.

'_Social Links?'_

"Now, then... Time marches on in your world. I shouldn't keep you here any longer. Next time we meet, you will come here of your own accord. Until then… Farewell." Igor said his goodbye before Naruto can ask anything more.

* * *

**Sapphire09:** Done!! So... how is it?


	5. 04 ReaLiTy

**Sapphire09:** I finally updated ^^

By the way, I'm going to remove the one that is in the Megami Tensei Category. It really is so troublesome to put it in two category... So, yeah.

**WARNING:** Spoiler, OOC-ness, Grammar. Anyone wanted to help me repair this Grammar problem? Please?

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**CHAPTER IV**  
_Reality_

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* * *

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**4/17. Friday  
Tatsumi Memorial Hospital – After School**

Naruto stirred from his sleep. Even though he was asleep, he felt really tired. He felt that as if he has been sleeping for a week straight.

"Ugh…" he groaned. Although blurry, he can see a figure in pink hurriedly went to his side.

"You're awake...! Um, how do you feel?" the figure asked in concern. His sight slowly becomes clear. When it cleared, turns out that the figure was Yukari.

"Where am I...?" he asked weakly. HE's confused, but most of all, annoyed. Seriously, moving from one place to another place without you noticing is really annoying. First he was there, then here, then where? A sewer?

'_Probably… Kyuubi is still living in there… He may as well pull me there when I'm asleep.'_ He sighed silently to the probability.

"Thank goodness. You finally came to...," Yukari said before she sighed in relief. "How much sleep do you need!? It's been a whole week! ...I was so worried about you..." she said. Worry is apparent in her voice.

'_I really am sleeping for a week straight… No wonder I feel so… drowsy…'_

"Sorry… So, where is this?" he asked again in weak voice.

"Oh yeah, this is Tatsumi Memorial Hospital. It's just a short walk from the station," she esplained. "The doctor couldn't find anything wrong with you. He said you were just exhausted... But, you kept sleeping and sleeping. You know how worried I was?" she asked. She's worried, but it seems she was relieved when he woke up.

"Hn…" Naruto only grunted in response. He then realized how Sasuke-ish it was, so he added. "Er… un?"

'_I think now I sounded like Deidara!'_ he realized mentally.

"Um..." Yukari trailed off. Her face looks sad. "I'm sorry I couldn't do anything... Even though I was supposed to protect you, I..." Yukari tried to say the rest, but Naruto cuts her words.

"Don't worry about it. At least, you tried," he said. Yukari then cheered up for a bit. Or, at least Naruto thinks so.

"I guess… But your power... It was amazing," she said in awe. Naruto mentally blinked in confusion. He doesn't think he remembers what happened.

"Oh yeah, about that…What'd I do, actually..?" he asked in honest curiosity.

"The power you used, we call it "Persona." And those creatures you defeated are Shadows—our enemy. We'll explain everything later. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before..." she explained. Silence then washed over the room. She then rose from her seat and stands in front of the window in the room, deep in thought, before glancing to him again.

"I, uh... I wanted to tell you that... I'm sorta like you," she said suddenly.

"And why so?" he asked in curiosity after a minute of silence.

"My dad died in an accident when I was little... And my mom and I aren't exactly on good terms...," she confided. "You're all alone too, right? To be honest, I already know about your past... But it didn't seem fair, so I wanted you to know about mine..."

"Don't worry about it. I'm pretty sure you didn't know much," he shrugged. He's very confident she knows nothing about his past as a ninja.

"You live here once with your foster parents, Rikuto and Miyako Arisato, together with a boy older than you whose name is unknown to me. That boy takes you out from the city when your foster parents died ten years ago, right?" she said. True, it wasn't his ninja past, but it's pretty impressive. She was right on that one.

Long ago, when he was three years old, the Sandaime Hokage sent him here under the care of Rikuto and Miyako Arisato as his foster parents. Uchiha Itachi also have been sent along with him as his bodyguard and watcher under the Hokage's orders, but he didn't stay with him here. He just occasionally came. But then, Rikuto and Miyako died when he was six, around ten years ago. After that, Itachi took him back to Konoha and then the Sandaime applied him into the ninja academy. The rest are history.

Naruto then look at her wide eyed before he said, "… How'd you know that?"

"Don't underestimate the Kirijo intel. I was told by Mitsuru-senpai the moment we knew you have a Persona. That's why I didn't think it was very fair. So, I wanted you to know mine," she said. Naruto stared at her before he gave up. "Then please do," he said at last. Yukari then begins her tale.

"…It was back in '99... There was a big explosion in the area. Supposedly, my dad died in the blast, but nobody really knows what happened... He was working in a lab run by the Kirijo Group. So, I'm hoping that if I stick around long enough, I'll find out something. That's why I'm going to Gekkoukan High, and why I was there when this happens to you. ... Of course, I panicked and wasn't much help... It was my first time fighting them, too. I'm sorry... You wouldn't have to go through all this if I wasn't such a coward..." she said. Naruto can see that she's blaming herself for what happened.

"Don't worry about it," Naruto said then. Yukari then looks at him in wonder. "It's not your fault. Like I've said, at least you tried instead of running away, and that needs courage."

"Thanks, Minato," she smiled in gratitude. "...But still... And here I am telling you all this the minute you wake up. While I was waiting, I thought to myself. 'I've been hiding so many things from him... As soon as he wakes up, I'll tell him the truth.' So, thanks for listening. I've been wanting to share that story with someone for a long time," she said as she laughed lightly. Naruto nodded in response.

She then realizes the darkening sky outside. "Alright, I'm gonna get going. I'll let the others know you woke up. You probably can get back to the dorm tonight. Take it easy, okay? Be a good patient! And don't hesitate to call the nurse. I'm sure she'll take good care of you. Bye." Naruto can't help but to compare her attitude with Iruka's mother-hen mode.

She then walks away after she said her goodbye and Naruto watches her disappearing back. Not long after she left, his cell phone rings. He picked it up then.

"_Hello, Naruto-kun. It's me, Hinata,"_ the speaker said. Naruto smiled when he heard her sweet voice. "Hi, Hinata-chan. How's your day?"

"_Fine, fine. You know, they're still searching for us. I still can't believe they didn't recognize me even when I'm right under their nose. Is it save if we... stop running away now?"_

Naruto closes his eyes before replying, "Yeah, I guess. I'm tired. In addition, I'm already in my destination anyway. I'm not planning to move away from here again. Besides…" he trailed. He began to think on the Shadows and Persona, also about the things that have happened in his short stay here. "…I think I finally have something interesting to do here."

"_Really? I'm glad to hear that. Tell me about it once I get there, okay? By the way, I think they'll come by in June. I'll see you in May, Naruto-kun,"_ she said.

"Sure, I can't wait. I'll see you later, love." And with that, the conversation ended. Naruto stares at the phone before he smiled to himself.

"I hope no one disturbs me now…" He then closes his eyes in bliss.

==//==//==//==//==

**Mori Town, Hasakuya High School Roof– After School**

"Junbaku-san?" a voice called. 'Jun' clasped her cell phone close and looks back to behind her. There, three people that she knows quite well, is standing near the door.

"Yes? Is there something I can help you with, Haruno-san, Uchiha-san, and Sabaku-san?" she asked in her usual I-don't-care tone.

"Well, we knew most of the students in this school, from sophomores to seniors, but you're the only one we haven't talked to yet," Sasuke said with a charming smile that can melts any girl. He has been using it to make the investigation progressed faster, since most of the girls here are babbling everything they know, whether it was the things he wanted to know or not. 'Jun', however, didn't infected by the smile even just for a bit.

"Well, then. I'm sorry, but I'm not interested. Now, please move from the door so I can get into my class," she said in monotone. Sasuke is a little bit startled that his smile failed, since it usually works. Especially since Sakura put a genjutsu on it so it'll be thousands of times more charming.

"Then, can you at least tell us your full name and what club you joined?" Sakura asked politely. 'Jun' is silent for a while before she replied, "Hinata Junbaku. I didn't join any extracurricular activities."

Sakura then smiled, but she realized she can't get more than that. "Well, then. Maybe that's all for now. I hope to see you again, Junbaku-san," she said as she motioned the others to let her pass.

"_I hope not..."_ Sakura can hear her muttering, but that's only because of her sensitive hearing.

"See you again, Junbaku-san," she bid her goodbye, but 'Jun' ignores her and went straight to her class. After 'Jun' is out from their eye sight, they began talking.

"She couldn't be our Hinata. Name and hair color may be alike, but she can't be Hinata. She's too damn cold to be her," Sakura said as she sighed. all traces of her previous politeness gone.

"But, her profile is the most questionable. As if she was hiding something," Sasuke said as he slipped to his emotionless expression again.

"People here can have secrets too, Sasuke. Who said that only our people who have messed up past?" she countered. Sasuke tried to argue, but Gaara intercept.

"Even if she is Hinata-san, there's not enough evidence. We should continue our investigation. We could ask her some more in later time," he said. Sasuke didn't answer.

"Tch." Sasuke then walks down from the roof. Sakura sighed again. "He's been like this ever since Naruto left. He won't tell me, but I think he's been thinking about him. Guilt, perhaps?" she said.

"I can understand his feeling. I, too, wanted to find him soon. I believe that Neji-san also wanted to find his little cousin as well," Gaara said.

"Perhaps that's why. But isn't his reaction is a little bit too much? Sure, I miss him, and I was also devastated when I know he's gone. But... I can't help but to think that he leaves for a reason. Of course, it doesn't change the fact that I want to see him again and take him back to Konoha, but I think can accept it too if he refused." Sakura said again.

"He is overreacted, but I think it's also for a reason," he said knowingly. They then began walking downstairs.

"What do you think the reason is?" Sakura asked again. It was silent for a while before he replied.

"As you already know, Akatsuki has been destroyed by none other than Uchiha Itachi, Hoshikage Kisame, Akasuna no Sasori, and Iwa no Deidara. With those four on the loose, as well as the rumors that said they have been tailing the Kyuubi, no wonder he's been upset. Itachi almost capture him once, and I think he's afraid that he'll be too late again," Gaara said. Sakura nodded in agreement.

"You're right. But still… I don't think they'll follow Naruto here," she said. Gaara stares at her before continue walking, slightly leaving her behind him.

"Everything can happen, especially if they really do targeting the Kyuubi. Don't forget, they are shinobis who never let their target out from their eyesight," he said. "Plus...," he added. Sakura then looks at him questioningly.

"I think he feels guilty, since the last thing he did for him was shoving his Chidori right into his lung. I think he can't get a peace of mind because of that."

Sakura's eyes then softened. She can understand that one. She, too, can't get a peace of mind since she haven't done anything nice for him...

They then walk through the hallway and disappear into their respective class. Neither of them realizes a pair of eyes that's watching their conversation.

"...I see...," the figure said before it disappears.

==//==//==//==//==

**4/18. Saturday**

**Gekkoukan High School – Early Morning**

"Excuse me," Naruto greeted as he stepped in to the Faculty Office. His homeroom teacher, Ms Toriumi, is the one who greeted him back. He then get lectured about his five days absent. She also shows her concern about his studies, but she didn't try to pry in to anything, and he respects that. Most of the teachers will try to pry into his problems, personal or not. After he was allowed to leave, he went to his classroom.

"Minato-kun! Long time no see, ne?" a boy with a cap greeted as he steps in. He seems familiar, though. "You remember me, right?" he asked again. "Man, transferrin' in only to take a week off. I need to learn from you, huh?"

"Cut it out, Junpei! He got sick!" Yukari huffed in his defense. Nothing came up to him, though. He honestly doesn't remember this boy.

"Do I know you?" he asked while Yukari is still arguing with him. Their bickering stops as Junpei's face turned funny-looking.

"Man! You honestly doesn't remember me? It was only a week!" the boy exclaimed in disbelief.

"Er... sorry?" Naruto apologized. The boy is still frowning, but then he sighed.

"Oh, well... I'll introduce myself again. My name is Junpei Iori. Nice to meet 'ya," he introduced. Something then clicked in Naruto's mind.

"Ah, right. You're the kid I met in my first day here, right?" Naruto asked for confirmation. Junpei's face brightens then. "You remem--," but then, the bell rings, so he must return to his seat.

At lunch break, Mitsuru came to his class and tells him and also Yukari to come to the room on the 4th floor of their dorm.

==//==//==//==//==

**Iwatodai Dorm - Evening**

He did as he was told and come upstairs as he got to the dorm. He met Yukari when he reached the 4th floor and then she takes him to a room. There, he was introduced to guy with grey hair. His name is Akihiko Sanada.

"Okay, let me start off by asking you this... Would you believe me if I said that a day consists of more than 24 hours?" Shuji asked.

Naruto look at him indifferently. _'With every weird things that is happening lately, I don't think I won't believe that,_' he thought. It was also because in his days as a ninja, he has seen weird things such as demons, which also resides in him, and talking animals such as _Toads, Slugs, _and_ Snakes_. But he knows that normal human will say "No," so, that's his reply.

"Do you remember the night you came here? You had to have noticed the signs. The streetlights went out... Nothing was working... There were coffins everywhere... Didn't it feel like you were in different time? That's the Dark Hour—a time period hidden between one day and the next," Mitsuru explained. Naruto merely raised his eyebrows. For him, it was more like an expression when he finally understood something, but the others misinterpreted it as incredulity. He didn't bother to correct them, though.

"I know how you feel. Who would believe such a story? But the Dark Hour occurs each night, right at midnight. It'll happen tonight, and every night to come," Shuji said when he saw his expression. They then continue to explain about the creature they faced few days ago. Turns out, it was what they called 'Shadows' and then they also explaining on Persona. At the end of their conversation, Naruto was given the choices to join SEES; The Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad. They already prepared an Evoker, which for him looks a lot like a gun. He realized it's the same device to summon… Persona. Naruto thought about it, and accept.

'_I may as well see it as training, then. I haven't done any since I got here…'_

Just then, he heard a mysterious voice rings inside his head. He's sure that it's not Kyuubi, nor Orpheus. An image of a Tarot Card with the number zero also appeared within his mind.

"_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Fool Arcana..."_ the voice said. Naruto blinked for awhile before realizing that he's still in the room.

'_O…kay…. That was weird….'_ Even though he thought that, he felt his inner strength growing. He then remembers what Igor had said about Social Links_. 'I wonder if this is the Social Links he had talked about…'_

When they were given the permission to get back to their room, Naruto stopped upon reaching the door. "Ah! By the way, can I permanently remove the hidden camera from my room, please? It's kinda annoying…" he said before he left.

"Ah-!? H-How did you—?" the rest exclaimed in surprise.

From behind the door, he smirked in satisfaction before going to his room. _'I'm still curious about the voice, though… Oh, well.'_

At his room, his cell phone rang.

"_Hello, Naruto-kun." _He realized the voice and smiled.

"_Sorry that I call you in such hour, but I really wanted to contact you. You see… both of us decided that we will be there around July or even sooner. We only wanted to tell you this beforehand so you won't be surprised if you saw us walking around the Port Island, since we maybe won't be able to contact you for some time. But, feel free to contact us if you want. By the way… I've found out that Kissuinomo High School exchange program with Gekkoukan will be held in September 6__th__… Tell Hinata-chan to be prepared too, okay?"_

"I will… Thanks…" and the line ends. As he clasped his cell close, he glanced towards the hidden camera. It may be quite well hidden, but nothing escapes his trained eye. "I said earlier that I'll remove it permanently, and I intend to do just that."

He throws a kunai that he always kept for safekeeping to the camera and it hits exactly at the middle of the lens. Because the kunai is already infused with his wind chakra, the camera soon penetrated and there's nothing left but dust.

"Much better…" he muttered. He then cleansed his face at the sink and then he stared at his reflection. He finds himself staring into two grey eyes instead of his sapphire orbs. His moves his sight to his cheek. He then traced the whisker marks on his cheek. He closed his eyes tightly and turns away from the mirror. He removes his lenses and go to sleep.

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**Sapphire09:** ...Did I just ruin your imagination?

I'm not proud of this chapter. I feel that this chapter can be better, but I don't know just what's missing here (besides the s_erious_ need to repair the grammar... Again, can anyone help me?)... If you know, can you tell me?

I already warned you that there'll be some--no, MAJOR OOC-ness...

Yeah... I didn't put the MAJOR part... The point is, of course there'll be OOC-ness... So, I hope you can bear with it...

(September 9th, 2009 : Edited again)


	6. 05 TaRtARuS

**Sapphire09:** Another chapter!! Yay!

My warning here is the same with the previous chapters.

**

* * *

CHAPTER V**_  
Tartarus

* * *

_

**Iwatodai Dorm - Dark Hour**

"Hi, how are you"

He heard someone said from near him. He opens his eyes and turned to see the mysterious boy he saw in the first night he arrived. He was surprised, but he didn't feel any malice from the boy, so he relaxed. The boy chuckled when he saw his slightly surprised expression.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked in curiosity.

"We've met before," the boy said.

"Yes, I know. I remember you when I arrived to this dorm. What're you doing here, anyway?" Naruto replied in annoyed tone.

"Soon, the end will come," the boy said. "I remembered, so I thought I should tell you."

"The end? What are you…," he asked, frowning. He knows the boy is serious, but… what ends? Though, he's still having the thought that the boy is talking nonsense.

"The end of everything. …But, to be honest, I don't really know what it is," the boy said again. Naruto raised his eyebrows.

"Oh, looks like you've awakened to your power, and an unusual power it is," he said, slightly diverting from the previous topic. "A power that takes many forms, yet is bound by none," he continued. "It may prove to be your salvation, depending on where you end up."

_'…My… salvation?'_

The boy then suddenly disappears and reappeared on the end of his bed, it seems like he's teleporting there. "Do you remember when we first met? I expect you to honor your commitment," he said again. Naruto then remembers the contract. "I'll be watching you, even if you forget about me…," the boy trailed off. Naruto get the feeling that he said it more to himself rather than to him.

"Okay then, see you later," and with that the boy disappeared.

_'Forget him? How could I forget a weird kid like him?' _he thought as he tried to go back to sleep.

Keyword, tried. He suddenly heard a voice came from inside his head as he tried.

**_"You haven't forgotten me, are you gaki?"_**

When he opens his eyes, he found himself standing in front of the gate where Kyuubi resides. "Seriously, what is it with today, voices, and sleep," he muttered, annoyed. He then sighed.

"Hi to you too, Kyuubi. What's up?"

Kyuubi's eye twitched at his lack of respect. **"You're lucky that I can't kill you, gaki,"** he said. Naruto smirked. "Glad to know that. But, why are you calling me here? I know you did it not because of you merely wanted to see me."

Kyuubi sighed before answering, **"I feel a …presence, within you. Care to explain it?"** he asked as he shifted to his human form.

Naruto stared at Kyuubi's human form. He's a male with long red hair and red piercing eyes. He also has a bishonen face. His outfit, he would say, similar to the nobility in Edo period.

"I know that you're more comfortable in talking with me in your human form, but why is it that you just love to wear those kind of outfits?" he said. Kyuubi growled.

**"Just explain about the presence!"** Kyuubi exclaimed, annoyed. Naruto lifted his hands in defense. "Alright, alright… Sheesh… You see, I think that you're talking about my Persona," he started. That makes Kyuubi confused.

**"Persona? Persona, as in personality, or are we still talking about the presence?"** Kyuubi asked back. Naruto closed his eyes in concentration as he tried to call his Persona. "The presence you felt, is probably my Persona," he said as Orpheus appeared in blue light behind him. Kyuubi's eyes widened slightly then.

**_"Is there something you need, master?"_** Orpheus asked to Naruto.

"No, Orpheus. Orpheus, meet Kyuubi, Lord of Bijuu. Kyuubi, meet Orpheus, Master of Strings," Naruto said. Kyuubi stared at Orpheus for a while before saying, **"Is this what you called Persona?"**

"Yep," Naruto answered as he Orpheus disappeared again a ray of blue light, back to his soul. **"The place where you reside seemed interesting. When will you let me out, eh… Obouchama?"** Kyuubi asked. Naruto chuckled.

"Knock it off, Kyuubi. I'll let you out soon. Just be patient," Naruto said as he drifts off. When he opens his eyes, he found himself back to his room.

He turned to see the sun is shining outside his room, through the curtains of his window. He then gets up and scoot the curtains open and letting the rays of the sunshine illuminates his room. His eyes softened before he smiled at the warmth. Looking at the clock, he decided to at least go to have a bath and putting his disguises again.

When he's done, he then heard something from downstairs. It seems someone is calling him. He realized that it was Yukari. After he makes sure his disguise is back in place, he walks downstairs to the main lobby. There, he sees Akihiko standing near the front door.

"Okay, he's here now. So, what's this all about?" Yukari said when he arrived.

"There's someone I wanna introduce," Akihiko said. He then turns to the door. "Hey, hurry up," he said to someone behind the door.

"Hold your horses… This is freakin' heavy," someone said as that person walks in, and he was slightly surprised to see him.

_'…Is this the thing he wasn't supposed to mention the other day? Or was he talked about something else?'_

"J-Junpei? Why is HE here!?" Yukari exclaimed, extremely surprised. "Wait, don't tell me—"

"This is Junpei Iori from Class 2-F. He'll be staying here as of today," Akihiko said. Junpei then chuckled. "Wazzup?"

"He's staying HERE!? You've gotta be kidding me!" Yukari protested, clearly hard to accept the fact. Not even in her dreams that someone like Junpei can be a Persona-user.

"I bumped into him the other night. He has the potential, but he just awakened to it recently. I told him about us, and he agreed to help," Akihiko explained. Naruto stared at Junpei with raised eyebrows, more or less amused.

"You have the potential!? For real!?" Yukari said, surprised.

"He found me cryin' like a baby at the convenience store, surrounded by a bunch of coffins. I don't remember much, but man, that's embarrassing! He said that's, ya know, completely normal… in the beginning. Like, bein' confused and not remembering anything. Did ya guys know that?" Junpei said. His tone hinted a hidden pride.

"Didn't happen to me, that's for sure," Naruto said. Junpei's shoulder slumped before he shrugged. "Big deal. It happens to everyone else," he said.

"But man, I was shocked to find out about you guys. I had no idea. I'm glad I'm not the only one. It could get kinda lonely, ya know. I bet you're stoked too, right!? Havin' me join..."

Yukari sweat-dropped, "Huh? Uh, y-yeah"

_'…Surprised, that's for sure,'_ Naruto thought.

After the introductions, Akihiko then said something about exploring a place called Tartarus since they have enough people now. They'll be given the details later tomorrow at night.

==//==//==//==//==

**4/20. Monday**

**Gekkoukan**** High School****, 2-F Classroom – Lunchtime**

"I thought I was gonna fall asleep there," Yukari said after the bell rungs, yawning. True… The lessons given this morning are awfully boring….

Just then, Mitsuru came into their classroom.

"Can I have a minute?" she asked, asking their attention. When she has their attention at her, she began speaking. She told them to go straight to the lounge when they're back to the dorm. After she told them that, she bid her goodbyes and left.

"Wow, she didn't waste any time leaving," Junpei said after Mitsuru left.

"She's probably busy with things like Student Council, unlike us," Yukari said. Naruto can feel the slight resentment in her tone.

"Whoa, Yuka-tan! Do I sense some hostility?" Junpei said teasingly. Yukari then flabbergasted by that.

"Well, it's not like that I don't like her… She's just…," she tried to explain it. Naruto only stared at her as she miserably trying to explain herself. Just then he realized that perhaps it has something to do with personal reasons. So, not wanting to hear anymore, he tuned them out and took a nap.

After school, he went straight to the dorm, together with Junpei. They talked and laugh in the way. Well, it's mostly Junpei that talks, but Naruto still feels that he is having fun, genuinely. Something that makes him remembers the time when he's still in Konoha.

_'No! Stop thinking about them!'_ he commanded himself as he tried to disperse the depressing thoughts that began clouding his mind. Thankfully for him, Junpei didn't notice his weird behavior.

At evening, they arrived at the dorm. They went to the fourth floor to find the others already gathers in the Command Room.

"Okay, everybody's here," Ikutsuki said after they arrived. After all of them all ready on their seats, he then asks for their attention.

"For a long time, Mitsuru and Akihiko were the only Persona-users we had. But, that number recently jumped to five. Therefore, starting tonight at 12.00 am, I'd like to commence the exploration of Tartarus," he explained.

"Sorry, I asked this yesterday, but what's this Tartarus thing again?" Junpei asked. The one who replied is Yukari.

"You haven't seen it, Junpei?

"Hm…?

"It's no surprise, since it only appears at the Dark Hour," Mitsuru said knowingly. Naruto stared at them questioningly.

"The Dark Hour?" Junpei repeated.

"Just like the Shadows… Interesting, huh? Also, it's the perfect place for us to train. You can think of it as a Shadow nest," Akihiko said. Naruto raised his eyebrows at that.

_'Then, isn't basically the place is dangerous?'_ Naruto thought. "Whoa, their nest, huh?" Junpei said. Yukari then asked on the condition of Akihiko's injury. Mitsuru then explained that he'll only come as far as the entrance. Akihiko grumbled, but he knows the condition he is in. He'll be more of a burden if they ever get engaged in a fight. Ikutsuki then warns them not to go too deep into the place. He explained to them that they can't avoid Tartarus since they are dealing with Shadows.

"Relax, I've got your backs," Junpei said full of confidence. "I'm not so sure about this…," Yukari said doubtfully, on the contrary to what Junpei had exclaimed.

"What about you, Mr. Chairman?" Mitsuru asked, turning to Ikutsuki.

"I'll stay here," he replied. "As you know, I can't summon a persona."

Upon hearing his sentence, Naruto stares at him suspiciously. _'Then… How'd he get involved in all this? I thought that only Persona-users that are aware of the Dark Hour?'_ he asked himself. But, he decided not to ask. He'll get his answer sooner or later.

Late at night, almost midnight, they went to the front gate of Gekkoukan High School. Akihiko then checked the time with his cell phone. Junpei looked right and left, confused when they arrived in front of their own school.

"This is it? THIS is the place?" Junpei asked in disbelief, and disappointment. "Why HERE?"

True, it is a kind of disappointment if the nest is actually their school. _'Wait…' _Naruto thought, realizing something. _'Shadows only appear during the Dark Hour…'_ He then glanced to the school. _'Is something will show up too from this school in the Dark Hour?'_

"Just wait a few minutes....," Akihiko said, annoyed by Junpei's rants. "It's almost midnight."

Naruto silently checked his watch. It's 23.59, and there's 3 seconds left to midnight. When the time strikes twelve, his watch got turned off and the sky turned into a nasty green color as the crescent moon shone a sickly yellow light. There are also red-colored puddles that appeared around them, and they looks suspiciously like blood. He noticed that the scenery was like that too at the night when he arrived, and at the night when that giant Shadow attacked their dorm.

_'Is this… The Dark Hour?'_ Naruto mused inside his head. He then heard a rumbling sound. He turned back to the school, to see that it began to shifts on its own, gradually changing. Naruto unconsciously watch the process with slightly wide eyes, but he managed to maintain his composure soon.

When the rumbling sound stopped, what once their school has turned into a tower which peak was invisible behind the clouds.

They stayed still and silent even after the process is done. They can hear the whistles of the wind.

"This is Tartarus," Mitsuru said, destroying the silence. "The labyrinth that reveals itself during the Dark Hour."

"Tartarus?" Junpei said, still in trance. "What are you talking about!? What happened to our school!?"

"Once the dark hour passes, everything returns to normal," Mitsuru explained.

Secretly, Naruto smirked in satisfaction. _'Now this is interesting!'_ he thought enthusiastically.

"This is the 'nest' you were talking about!?" Junpei exclaimed again. "But why!? Why'd our school turn into a giant tower!?"

Mitsuru stayed silent, not answering Junpei's question. "You don't know, either?" Junpei asked in confirmation. "…No," she replied, though for Naruto, it was more like reluctant reply.

Naruto felt that she's hiding something, but he decided to think about it on his own later.

_'I sure have plenty of things to think now, don't I?'_

"I'm sure it's complicated," Yukari said. "Who cares, anyway? It's not like it would change our minds about fighting," she said again.

"Maybe now we'll find out," Akihiko said enthusiastically as he glanced back to them. "Mitsuru and I have only gone in to take a peek. This will be our first time exploring it. Exiting, isn't it?" he said with the same enthusiasm. "There has to be some sort of clue in here about the Dark Hour."

Naruto briefly glanced at Akihiko, who reminded him a little of Lee, enthusiasm wise. _'Or he's just obsessed in getting stronger…'_

"Akihiko, I respect your enthusiasm, but you won't be accompanying us today," she reminded him. Akihiko's shoulders slumped then.

"I know. You don't need to remind me…"

==//==//==//==//==

**Inside Tartarus – Dark Hour**

As they walked in, they can see a room that looks like a ball room, only creepier, with a big stairs leading towards up in the middle of the room.

"Whoa… It's just as cool on the inside…," Junpei exclaimed in awe.

"But, it sure is creepy," Yukari said in slight fear. Naruto scanned the place in one glance. He can feel the same aura as the shadows there, although the interior is quite amazing. _'…It's marvelous…,'_ he thought._  
_

"This is only the entrance. The labyrinth lies beyond the doorway at the top of the stairs," Mitsuru explained as she pointed the stairs that is right in the middle of the place.

"First, we'll have you three get a feel for this place. Why don't you go have a look around?" Akihiko suggested.

"What!? By ourselves!?" Yukari exclaimed in disbelief, and worry. Her wary reminded Naruto of Sakura in their first C-ranked—turned B-ranked—turned A-ranked mission.

_'Great. Now I'm comparing them? Why I can't just forget about Konoha altogether!?' _he thought angrily to himself. '_I can manage that in my previous schools, so why not now?'_

"We're not asking you to go very far, and I'll be feeding you information from here," he heard Mitsuru clarified when he stopped his mental debate. It seems none of them realized anything.

"So, you two didn't plan on coming in the first place?" Junpei asked. It seems he's also worried.

"That's right," Akihiko said. "We're also going to appoint a leader to make any necessary decisions," he said again as he look at them one by one, as if deciding.

"For real?" Junpei asked in disbelief. "One of us?"

Just then, he becomes ecstatic. "Oh! Oh! Me me me! Pick me!"

"Errr…" Akihiko stares at him in doubt, before moving his focus on the disguised Naruto.

"Arisato, you're in charge."

Yukari and Junpei were surprised. "W-Wait! Why him!? He doesn't look like a leader!" Junpei said, clearly not satisfied by the decision. Naruto realized that the one Akihiko meant was him, but he stayed silent while Yukari and Junpei are arguing with Akihiko.

"But, he HAS fought them before…" Yukari reasoned.

"Seriously?" Junpei said with raised eyebrows.

"That's true, but there's another reason. You two…," Akihiko said. He then pulls out his Evoker and points it to his head. "Can you summon your Persona without any difficulties, like he can?"

After that, silence washed over them for a few seconds before they answered. "Y-Yeah, of course I can!" Junpei exclaimed, but doubt can be found in his tone. He never summoned his persona before…

"I think so," Yukari said, though she didn't seem so sure about it. The last time she tried, the result wasn't too satisfying.

"These are Shadows we're talking about here. Without your persona, you're screwed," Akihiko told them. Both Yukari and Junpei gulped.

"I'm aware of that," Yukari said at last.

* * *

**Sapphire09:** Finally, Tartarus!

By the way, I've edited the previous chapters, but I don't think much changed.

Anyway, please tell me what you think! ^^


	7. 06 Night

**Disclaimer:** I do not own P3 and Naruto.

**

* * *

CHAPTER VI**  
_Night

* * *

_

The four of them then walks closer to the stairs. Suddenly, Naruto noticed a strange door, colored in soft velvet color. Unconsciously, he changed his direction to the door. He tried to opens it, but it was locked. He pulls out the key that have the same soft velvet color from his pocket, before trying to unlock the door using the key. He then heard a soft click, and then the door was opened.

After that, a bright light emits from the other side of the door. Before he realizes it, he's back inside the Velvet Room.

Naruto narrowed his eyes in question when he sees Igor. "I've been waiting for you," Igor said as he took a seat. "The time has come for you to wield your power. The tower that you are about to venture into…," Igor trailed off.

"How did it come to be? For what purpose does it exist?" he asked tauntingly. It was like he was wondering those questions to himself rather than to actually ask him. Naruto then raised his eyebrows slightly when he heard him sigh.

"Regrettably, you are not yet capable of answering these questions."

"Then, bother why asking me?" Naruto replied in annoyed tone. Igor only chuckled before he continues his speech.

"That is why you must be made aware of the nature of your power," he said. Naruto then frowned in confusion. "The nature of my power? What are you trying to say?" Naruto asked again.

"Your power is unique. It's like the number zero… It's empty, but at the same time holds infinite possibilities," he explained. "You, my boy, are able to possess multiple Personas, and summon them as needed. And when you have defeated your enemies, you will see the faces of possibility before you," he said. "There may be times when they are difficult to grasp… But, do not fear. Seize what you have earned. Your power will grow accordingly. Be sure to keep that in mind."

Naruto blinked at his long speech. "O-kay… whatever." He said simply since he doesn't understand most of what he said. Igor seemed to notice this, but he didn't say more. Naruto noticed that he have nothing to say anymore, so he got up and about to leave the room since he realized that he has a mission, at least for him, to do.

"If you have nothing more to say, then I'm leaving," he said as he got up.

"My spare time will soon be scarce. But please, come again on your own accord," Igor said again suddenly as Naruto stood up. "I'll tell you then about my true role," he said mysteriously as Naruto looked back to him. "…the manner in which I can best assist you. Until then…" Light then suddenly envelopes the room, effectively blinded Naruto.

"Farewell," he heard Igor's word just before he realized that he's back to Tartarus. He found himself staring at the door of the Velvet Room. He then heard footsteps coming from behind him.

"Hey, are you alright?" he heard Yukari asked. He then turned to her.

"Yeah, what's up? You look like a zombie," Iori added. What Iori said confused the blond.

'_Huh? A…zombie? What did he meant by that?'_ he thought. He then glanced back to the door behind him.

'_Does it mean that… They can't see this door?'_ Naruto thought suspiciously. He then turned to them to see their concerned gaze at him.

"I…," Naruto opened his mouth to answer, but then he stopped and decided not to tell them about the door.

"…Nothing," he simply said. Iori then got annoyed by his answer.

"Don't tell me you just dozed off!" Iori exclaimed. "You're like that coach who fell asleep during the championship game! C'mon! You're supposed to be our leader!" he chided.

"Cut him some slack!" Yukari said to Naruto's defense. "If nothing's wrong, let's get going."

Naruto then merely nodded in agreement before they begin walking toward the stairs, into the unknown labyrinth of Tartarus.

==//==//==//==//==

**Tartarus, Thebel – Dark Hour**

"So, this is it, huh?" Junpei exclaimed in awe. They are currently inside the first floor of Tartarus. Inside Tartarus, Naruto see that it's more of a labyrinth. Of course, even inside the tower, the scenery is as bizarre as it is on the outside.

"I hope that I don't get lost…," he heard Yukari said. He then heard a buzz came from a communicator Mitsuru gave them before coming in.

"_Can you all hear me?" _Mitsuru asked through the communicator.

"Whoa! Is that you, Senpai?" Junpei asked in surprise.

"_I'll be providing audio backup from here on out,"_ Mitsuru explained. Junpei then seemed to be surprised.

"Wait… Ya mean, you can see inside here?" he asked in disbelief.

"_It's my persona ability,"_ Mitsuru answered simply. Naruto inwardly raised his eyebrows at that. _'So there is a Persona that is a sensor type? Hmm…'_ he thought.

"_I'd like to join you, but the structure of Tartarus changes from day to day. That's why outside support is imperative,"_ Mitsuru explained. _"I can give you some degree of support, but you need to work together."_

Not long after she said that, she sees that Junpei is drifting away from the other's position.

"_Hey! What was I just saying!"_ she scolded through the communicator as Junpei went even farther.

"Oops?" he said carelessly. Now he is already quite far from the others, and Mitsuru doesn't seem to like that.

"_Iori!! What are you doing!?"_ Junpei heard Mitsuru said again. _"I'm sending the other two in your direction. You got it? Don't move from that spot!"_

"Yeah, yeah. I got it," Junpei said without care as he just shrugs it off. Mitsuru then see a shadow heading towards him.

"_IORI!" _Mitsuru's warning managed to get Junpei to dodge the attack of the Shadow. Soon, his two-handed sword is ready in his grip.

"_Iori, retreat!"_ Mitsuru ordered. _"I'll tell you how to escape! You have to meet up with the others!"_

However, Iori refused to flee. He is already determined to show everyone that he, too, can summon his persona well.

"Didn't you just tell me not to move?" Iori said stubbornly.

"_Iori! This is not the time this!"_ Mitsuru said again. Iori shrugs Mitsuru words off. He dashed to the shadow in front of him and tried to slice it with his two-handed sword.

"_IORI!!"_

"I'LL TAKE CARE OF THIS MYSELF!!" he yelled confidently. He can feel that his hands are shaking, though.

"Why am I shaking, damnit!" he grunted to himself. He then reached his Evoker and pointed it to his temple before he pulled the trigger.

"HERMES!!"

A persona that has wings attached to its ankles then appeared in blue light. He then used Cleave at the shadow, automatically killing it.

When the fight is over, Iori fell down to his knees as relief washed over him.

"Heheheheh…" he chuckled tiredly. "I can do it, after all…," he muttered under his breath.

Before long, he can hear footsteps coming to where he is currently sitting at.

"Oh! There you are!" Yukari exclaimed as soon as she and Naruto arrived. "Oh, hi Yuka-tan! You guys just missed my big debut!" he grinned to both of them. After he said that, he noticed a bird-like thing is coming to them rapidly. Iori noticed there's a mask on it. He realized that the shadow is targeting them and rapidly coming towards Yukari.

"YUKA-TAN!" he warned. He tried to move, but he's already exhausted from the previous battle. Summoning a Persona is really taking most of his strength.

Naruto realized it, so he quickly moves to protect Yukari, earning himself a gash on his shoulder. It soon healed though, thanks to Kyuubi. The two others, however, did not notice that.

"Orpheus!!" Naruto summoned his Persona and use the skill Agi. It's not enough to kill the raven-like Shadow, though. Iori then attacks the Shadow with his sword, but he missed. The shadow attacked him then, and he earned himself a gash on his arm that he got when he tried to guard.

Yukari, seeing this, tried to summon her Persona. She does not want to be the only one who can't summon Persona, and she also doesn't want to only be a burden in the team.

"IO!!" she called. A Persona that shaped like a figure tied on to a chair shaped like an ox's head appeared. She used Garu, and the Shadow then defeated.

Yukari panted heavily then. "I… I did it," she muttered with slight disbelief. She suddenly remembered about her two teammates. She turned back to them to see their condition. Her face saddened when she sees them. Just then, Io appeared again and her persona then used Dia on Junpei. His wound soon healed.

"Whoa, Yuka-tan," Junpei said, amazed. Naruto also stared in amazement. Even Yukari seemed surprised in her own ability.

"This is… my ability," she whispered to herself before exhaustion caught up to her and she fell to her knees.

'_Healing ability? That's quite convenient,' _Naruto thought after seeing her ability.

"_Is everyone alright?"_ Mitsuru asked through the receiver. "Yes, we're alright," Naruto replied. He can distinctly hear Mitsuru sighed in relief.

"_Good. Arisato-kun, please lead everyone to the exit. It is enough for tonight. The Dark Hour is about to end,"_ Mitsuru commanded. Naruto complied and led Yukari and Junpei to the exit. As he led them to the exit, he kept on checking the things around him.

Tartarus sure is a confusing, weird tower maze.

'_Perhaps it'll be better if I get used to this first,'_ Naruto thought calculatingly before they leave for the entrance and meeting up with Mitsuru and Akihiko.

==//==//==//==//==

**5/2. Saturday**

It was already late at night when he arrived at his room. He took his time removing his contact lenses and the foundation that hides his whisker marks.

It has been a while since he arrived, and he is almost used to Tartarus. He also noticed that the place also has quite a bit of treasures. Sometimes, he can even find some valuable, good quality weapons in there. Of course, he can also gained weapons and armors from the Police Station. Akihiko already introduced Kurosawa-san to him. Truth to be told, the equipments that Kurosawa provides are kinda good.

He soon changed to his pajama, and when he was done, the moon turned green.

"Hi, how've you been?" he heard a voice said from behind him. He turned back with widened eyes. He then sees the boy who greeted him the first night he arrived sitting on the side of his bed. He then heard the boy chuckled in amusement. "How did you get in?" Naruto merely asked.

"It's been a while. Are you well?" the boy asked. Naruto raised his eyebrows at the question.

"I guess," he answered. The boy then stood up, giving Naruto a chance to get on his bed.

"One week from now, there will be a full moon. Be careful. A new ordeal awaits you," he warned. Naruto looked at the boy skeptically before asking, "What kind of ordeal?"

"You will encounter one of _them_," the boy answered.

'_Them? Does he mean… the Shadows? Didn't I already encounter them every night?'_ he thought, annoyed. _'Or… is there something else?'_

"You must prepare for the ordeal, but time is of the essence," the boy said again. "I'm sure you're already aware of that, of course," he added. Naruto then saw the boy disappeared, only to reappear at a spot a little farther away.

"I'll come see you again when it's over. Goodbye for now," the boy said as a farewell before he disappeared from sight. Naruto narrowed his eyes at the spot where the mysterious boy disappeared.

"Who the hell is he?" Naruto muttered before he finally closed his eyes, letting himself to drown in the abyss called sleep.

==//==//==//==//==

**5/8. Friday  
Tartarus, 16****th**** Floor of Thebel – Dark Hour**

It's almost a week since the mysterious boy appeared again. He also has been training in Tartarus for quite some time. Sure, facing the Guardians from floors that have a teleporter are tough, but they managed. Not only that, he also managed to get several Personas as he fight. He now understands what Igor meant as a unique power, also by Social Links. The closer he gets to someone with certain arcane, the stronger his Persona seemed when he tried to create a Persona of the same arcane. He can see that the other Persona users don't go changing Persona like him. Igor also helped him in fusing and as informant.

Since he was a former ninja, it's easy for him to wield any sort of weapons. However, he favors swords more than anything. Of course, if he thinks he'll get the upper hand if he used bow, than he can use the bow without flaws.

At first, it was weird for him to use his Persona's ability, but he gotten used to it. Of course, he still prefers to finish things of only by using his weapon. Sometimes, when fighting shadows, he almost used Ninjutsu. There was once when he slipped, but he managed to cover it as his Persona ability. He was thankful at least he managed to keep his hand off the seal for his Shadow Clone Technique and refrained from making Rasengan. He won't be able to cover those techniques.

They also managed to get as far as the 16th floor. It's not the top yet, but they can't go any further since the way is blocked. In that floor, they found some kind of a report, a clue in a form of an old document. Of course, it still doesn't make any sense, but it's a start.

==//==//==//==//==

**5/9. Saturday  
Port Island Station – Late Night**

"It's quite late after all…," a figure walked out from the station, carrying a small luggage with him. Under the bright light of tonight's full moon, his pitch black hair shone with perfection. He pulls out a mobile phone and clasped it open. He then dialed a number he knew quite well, but hesitating in pressing the call button.

It's almost midnight after all.

"Maybe I should tell him… Tsukimoto High School has been dull after all," that person muttered and about to press call with his thumb.

Before that person managed to press another button, his mobile phone died and the environment changed drastically. The moon turned yellow instead of the usual silver, and the sky turned green. He can see coffins standing in a few places, and he can also see red liquids, which look strangely like blood, everywhere, also with green mist.

"Huh…?" the man said as his onyx eyes widened in surprise of the sudden change of his surroundings. "…what the?"

* * *

**Sapphire09:** I'm sorry for the late update....

By now I supposed some of you realized that I've taken some scenes altered from the P3 Manga, which written by Sogabe Shuji (you can check it out from Onemanga/Mangafox). I won't take credit for any of those scenes....

By the way, I wondered if I should give him a Persona too... You know, the unknown man in the end of this chapter? Also the same man who called Naruto in chapter II : Reason? Are you curious about who he is, or you already know who is that? Do not worry, I will have no OC!!


	8. 07 Dark Clouds

**DISCLAIMER: **Persona 3 and Naruto aren't mine.

**

* * *

CHAPTER VII**_  
Dark Clouds

* * *

_

**5/9. Saturday  
Iwatodai Dorm – Dark Hour**

The sound of the loud beeping woke Naruto up from his slumber. At first, he was confused, but then he remembered it as an alert from the Command Room. It just means they have to gather in the Command Room. So, he woke up, changed his clothes, and went to the command room. He purposely left his contacts behind, since none of his dorm mates ever see his eyes clearly anyway, especially in the Dark Hour.

Besides, he remembered about the 'ordeal' that the mysterious boy told him in advance. He figured he'll have his answer tonight. So he guessed he'll need his eyes to see clearly.

Like he said, contacts annoyed him and hinder his already more-than-perfect eyes.

In the command room, he, Junpei, and Yukari were greeted by Akihiko and Mitsuru who have been waiting for them. They briefed them about another big shadow that was lurking outside of Tartarus. Since Akihiko couldn't join them tonight, Naruto was once again appointed as the leader. It was grudgingly accepted by Junpei.

Naruto can understand his jealousy all too well.

Soon after, Naruto, Junpei, and Yukari went ahead to the Iwatodai Station.

==/==/==/==/==

**Iwatodai Station – Dark Hour**

"Where is she?" Yukari exclaimed, annoyed when the person they were waiting for still hasn't arrived yet. Meanwhile, Naruto only took a sip of his canned juice as Junpei replied her impatient exclamation. He took a look of his surroundings, still fascinated by the change of scenery that always happened in the Dark Hour.

"There's a full moon tonight…" Yukari's musing brought him out from his own thoughts.

"But, it looks even creepier during the Dark Hour," Yukari said again, before Naruto heard something coming closer to their position. It sounded like an engine running, but from what Naruto had gathered in this one month, electronics, moreover motor vehicles, shouldn't be able to run during the Dark Hour.

"Huh? What the—"

Suddenly, Mitsuru appeared in front of them on a white motorcycle. It shocked them a bit, especially since she came in an unexpected way. Naruto wanted to ask, but he figured that the motorcycle probably specially made. After a while, then he realized that the motorcycle seemed familiar.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Mitsuru greeted. "Listen carefully. Tonight, I'll be providing support from here. Everything else is the same."

After Mitsuru told them about the location of the Shadow, they soon made their way to the monorail and followed the track. It was then Naruto noticed the bright yet ominous, yellow moon towering over behind the tower of Tartarus. However, Naruto kept moving, leading the team towards the monorail.

When they arrived, Yukari contacted Mitsuru for confirmation. After that, they proceed to climb the ladder and went into the monorail. Inside, they were greeted by usual sight of lining coffins.

"This poor stiff must be a passenger…," Junpei commented, "He's been Transmogged, huh… Creepy."

As Junpei keeps on commenting the Transmogrified passenger, Naruto felt something is out of place…

"Huh? Wait a minute…," Yukari started, "We're not at the station, but the doors are wide—"

Realization dawned upon them then, but it was too late as the monorail suddenly shook and the doors tightly locked.

They were trapped.

"_What's wrong? What happened?"_ Mitsuru asked through the communicator.

"It looks like we're trapped inside…"

"_It must be the shadows… It knows you're there."_

As Yukari gave Mitsuru explanation, Naruto merely looked outside, staring at the moon that can still be seen through the windows of the monorail. He can't help but to notice that the same full moon also appeared in the night when he first summoned his Persona.

"R-Roger!" Yukari's voice brought him out from his musing.

After that, they soon begin to make their way to the front carriage. In the middle of their way, a shadow suddenly appeared before them. However, instead of attacking, the Shadow unexpectedly ran away.

Mitsuru warned them not to act rashly, especially when the Shadows themselves are acting strangely. However, Junpei refused to listen to any of them and began acting on his own, even refusing to listen to Naruto. He then chased after the Shadow, despite Mitsuru's and Naruto's warning.

"Junpei! Wait—!"

"_Watch out! Behind you!"_

A couple of Shadows suddenly appeared from nowhere and attacked them. However, before anything happened, Naruto managed to call upon his Persona and stopped the shadows before they did any lasting damage.

Shortly after they vanquished the Shadows, they hurriedly went to search for Junpei.

"This is just what the enemy wanted," Yukari sighed in exasperation.

"_You have no choice," _Mitsuru said_, "You have to go after him, or you'll be picked off one by one."_

Yukari frowned then. "Dammit, Stupei! What are you thinking!" she said with mustered irritation.

They soon find Junpei after a few Carriages. They saw him cornered by a few Shadows ganging up on him.

"Junpei!" Yukari screamed.

"I've got it under control!" Junpei said stubbornly. "Take this, you freak of nature!"

Naruto frowned at his stubbornness, but he went to help him anyway. Actually, he thought that in situation such as that, it is better if he just let Junpei to fight the Shadows and let him regain his pride. But, he can clearly see that Junpei isn't strong enough yet to fight the Shadows alone. As a leader, he can't let his comrades die.

After a while, they managed to beat the Shadows. However, Naruto can see that Junpei is sulking.

"See? That's what happens when you don't listen," Yukari said in an 'I told you so' tone. Despite the fact that she was annoyed, she was worried too.

"So, are you alright?"

Junpei's head turned to the side and he stuttered out, "O-Of course I am… I was doin' just fine!"

Junpei's last sentence made Yukari's blood boil.

"Excuse me!"

Yukari had every right to be mad, Naruto mused. He can see that even if both of them are often not in good terms, they still cared for another's well-being as friends. But, before Yukari had a chance to say anything more, Mitsuru's voice rang through the receiver.

"_Be careful, you three!"_ she warned, _"I don't detect any movement, but stay alert!"_

Just after Mitsuru said that, the ground they were on suddenly shook and they could feel that the carriage was moving, and the flashing scenery they see from the windows only confirmed it.

"Whoa, what the-! Why are we moving!" Junpei exclaimed in surprise, questioning the question that resided in everyone's mind at the moment.

"_It seems the monorail is under the enemy's control,"_ Mitsuru explained, though she didn't seem so sure herself, Naruto noticed from her choice of word.

Naruto tuned out whatever that was said after, noticing the increasing speed of the carriage they were in. Even without being told, he knew this would end badly if they didn't do anything soon. Mitsuru's words only confirmed that. He tuned out both of his panicked teammates and formed a plan of himself. He began calculating the speed they were going and estimated the remaining distance before they would crash to another train. Without being told, he could guess that their time was only in minutes before they would meet their doom.

"_I sense a strong presence at the front car,"_ Mitsuru said, _"That must be the one we're after. You'll have to defeat it to stop the train!"_

They were about to do just that, but then more shadows appeared and got in their way. _"_What kind of messed up ride is this!" Naruto heard Junpei complained before the Shadows began to attack them.

'_We don't have much time_,' Naruto thought as he lunged forward, a long sword in hand. His sword wasn't the kind to absorb chakra, as it was a regular sword. But, he could coat the blade with his wind chakra, making his slashes a few times sharper than regular. In a few repetitive slashes, he managed to make two of the Shadows turned to nothingness in one graceful sword dance, as the other Shadow was handled by Junpei and Yukari. Both of them were too busy concentrating on that one Shadow, they missed the free show Naruto had done.

'…_They were too easy to fool…,'_ Naruto thought absently, silently hoping that Mitsuru's ability wasn't able to let her see his moves.

After their road block was cleared, without further command, Naruto ran toward the front car, where the Shadow that controlled the car should be waiting, Junpei and Yukari followed right behind him. One by one, Shadows kept on coming at them, blocking their way and wasting their time. Most came in groups, which irritated Naruto since they must defeat them all before the time ran out. He pumped more wind chakra to his blade in irritation, imagining them to be sharper, thinner, and more condensed.

When he managed to kill the Shadow in one clean cut, Junpei and Yukari were bound to be impressed.

"Whoa, Minato!"Junpei exclaimed in awe, as Yukari could only gaped at what she just saw. Was it really possible to kill a shadow in one attack?

"Less gaping, more moving," Naruto merely said to distract them from their thought. He began running again and whether they wanted it or not, Junpei and Yukari must follow.

'_What did you do, Baka!'_ Naruto chided himself, _'Before long, you will find yourself explaining about ninja! Get a hold of yourself!'_

==/==/==/==/==

**Iwatodai Station – Dark Hour**

A sudden wave of nausea hit him as soon as he noticed the environmental change around him. The sky, the ground, all changed to a sickly green theme and he could feel the atmosphere around him changed too. His white, pale hand rose to his mouth, trying to hold whatever food that reached his stomach before that tried to come out. His free hand was clutching his small luggage until his knuckle turned white as he tried his hardest to keep his stomach from emptying itself. A strand of his pitch black hair fell forward when he bowed down as the nausea he felt worsened. His eyes closed tightly, as if in pain.

"Ugh—!" he groaned out and he could no longer hold it in. He dropped his luggage and ran to somewhere nearby where he could puke. His stomach emptied itself out once he reached a trash bin, beside a long bench just by the stairs.

After it was done, he raised his head and glared at the wall in front of him, a knot that once hold his hair in a low ponytail loosened before it released itself, falling to the ground. He does not like this situation, not one bit.

Reaching for a handkerchief in his pocket, he then cleaned his mouth and chin before leisurely walking back to where he dropped his luggage. His black here swayed lightly as he walked, creating an illusion of a black flame down to his back. His eyes, which were colored in the same shade as his hair, narrowed dangerously, glinting under the green moonlight.

Suddenly, he could hear the sound of train—a monorail, he remembered. He turned his head towards the source, and he could see a monorail running under an incredible speed in a distance, heading towards another car that stopped by the monorail's way. He could see that it will crash.

He pulled out his phone again, noting that it still turned off. Clasping it close, he put the phone back to the pocket of his pants before he bended down to his luggage.

When he turned up again, his eyes were colored in bloody red.

* * *

**Sapphire09:** Been a while since I updated this... I'm very sorry for that, I really am! Not only that, considering that this chapter is quite short, I fell guilty...

Please forgive me!

Next chapter will be the fight with the Priestess Shadow, and something... I suck in making a fighting scene, so I really hope you could bear it with me...

Anyway, I hope you still had it in your heart to leave a review... please?


	9. 08 Cold, Closing Darkness

**DISCLAIMER: **Persona 3 and Naruto aren't mine.

**

* * *

CHAPTER VIII**  
_Cold, Closing Darkness

* * *

_

**Iwatodai Station, Monorail – Dark Hour**

**Countdown: 01.20**

Soon Naruto, Junpei, and Yukari reached the front of the carriage, to find a great Shadow waiting for them. The Shadow, Naruto must say, was quite great in size, filling the whole carriage with its height alone. Its hair-like strands ran through the walls of the carriage, covering the walls and the floor in color of white and black. Its humanoid body was in the shape of a woman's, sitting almost seductively with its legs parted, with skin colored in black on the right side and pale white on the left side. White cloth was all it wore, warped around like a skirt and secured in the middle, showing its black-colored thigh by the way it sat. On its chest were letters, B on its black skin and J on its white skin. A red mask, in design signing that it was of Priestess Arcane made its face.

What made him interested was the fact that something inside him responded as he got nearer to the Shadow. The feeling was something he couldn't even begin to comprehend.

"…Is this the friggin' boss?" Junpei asked in wonder upon seeing the great shadow. A sense of fear and also awe could be detected in the tone he had used.

"This is the front car; it's gotta be!" Yukari responded as she readied her bow and prepared to attack.

_"Hurry!"_ Naruto heard Mitsuru's voice from the communicator as he readied his sword and plans formed in his head as his internal clock ticking away.

**Countdown: 01.17**

_"This is the first time I've ever seen anything like this…,"_ Naruto heard Mitsuru muttered on the communicator.

_'First time?'_ he thought absently,_ 'So, this kind of thing never appeared before?'_

Before he could ponder farther, he suddenly remembered that his time was limited. So, he began his first move.

"Mitsuru-senpai," he called to the communicator, "Please analyzes the Shadow thoroughly," he requested. He then heard Mitsuru's 'Roger' before he summoned a Persona, **Omoikane**, and attacked with Zio to test out its effectiveness. Junpei, noticing that the leader had begun the attack, didn't want to lose. He summoned his persona, **Hermes**, and used its ability, Cleave. Sure enough, the Shadow flinched, but there were still a long way to go before the great Shadow could really be defeated.

Yukari was about to summon hers too, but then the Shadow was faster. It summoned a couple of smaller Shadows to aid it.

"Damn! Reinforcement!" Junpei cursed loudly when two Shadows appeared. The he used to hold his katana gripped even tighter on the handle, either in frustration or even slight fear. Without much thinking, he quickly summoned his persona again and a flame ignited on one of the summoned Shadow, effectively damaging it. He did it again to the other Shadow, though now wasn't as effective, so he did it again until the Shadow disappeared. When he gasped for breath, he realized that he began to tire out when fighting the smaller Shadow. Added to that, he already drained himself back when he tried to fight off the Shadows alone.

"Don't use your Persona too much," Naruto told Junpei as he attacked the greater Shadow. "You'll tire yourself out quickly."

Junpei, however, just snapped. "I get it already!" he yelled out before he moved forward to the greater Shadow, not listening to anything Naruto had to say. Naruto himself merely sighed before he came forward to attack before Junpei did anything that could get them all killed.

"Yukari, concentrate on healing," Naruto said through the communicator as he lurched to attack. "How's the analysis going, Mitsuru-senpai?"

_"—Done! The shadow repelled ice. Using Mudo or Hama skills won't work either! It has no weakness…"_

**Countdown: 01.03**

_'Time's ticking down…'_ Naruto thought as he reformed his plan. He had planned to sweep down the Shadow in one attack using either Mudo or Hama items he got in one of the treasure chests he found in Tartarus, but it seemed he was asking too much. The Shadow didn't have any weaknesses either, making no leeway for them to defeat it quickly. The Shadow's height filled the carriage, making it impossible for either Naruto or any of his friends to sneak behind the Shadow to make a surprise attack, thus leaving Naruto with no other option but to traditionally attack the Shadow and hope it'll fall soon.

Junpei obviously preferred to act on his own, as he kept attacking with either his Persona or his katana, taking the leader's command when it was Mitsuru that told him to.

Yukari did as she was told. She focused on healing him, Junpei, or herself. She also contributed with her Garu spell when the big Shadow summoned reinforcement again, but their health became her priority.

Naruto attacked mostly with his sword, coated with carefully-condensed chakra. The attack he made was great, but he could see his sword began to crack due to the nature of his chakra, and added with the force he used to slice through the Shadow's flesh, the sword barely handled it. Sure, he had spares, but he didn't bring them. The one he used was the best he had, anyway. The rest would crack only by his chakra alone.

In between his attacks, Naruto would sometime summon his Persona and use a Zio spell on the Shadow. It didn't do much damage to the Shadow, at least not as much damage his sword could do, but it sure was damaging. He kept on switching in using Zio or switched his Persona and used Bash.

**Countdown: 00.46**

Less than a minute was left, Naruto thought. The Shadow in front of him was obviously nearing its end, and he could feel a sense of anger originated from the Shadow filled the place. The Shadow's movement became wild, and the reinforcement came in three now instead of the usual two. The attacks it did to them now more painful, more damaging than before. Naruto could also hear the Priestess Shadow cried out in anger as it attacked them more fiercely than before.

However, Yukari's healing ability was one they could rely on at times like this. Junpei's attacks also keeping the Shadow busy, both the greater and the smaller.

**Countdown: 00.28**

Deciding that he should end it now, Naruto coated his blade once more with his wind chakra, now much more condensed and concentrated than before. Sure enough, his blade cracked even farther, but it could still hold on. After Junpei finished the last smaller Shadow, Naruto went in for the last blow. He put almost all of his strength in this last blow, making it an even stronger attack than his earlier attacks.

In one clean cut, the Priestess Shadow disappeared with an agonizing cry before it dispersed into thin air, with Naruto's blade as the sacrifice. It cracked, and it looked like a feathery touch was all it need to shatter into thousands of pieces.

**Countdown: 00.24**

After the fight, however, none of them could be relieved just yet, as the carriage still moved in unimaginable speed even after they defeated the Shadow.

"…Hey! Why're we still moving!" Junpei cried out, slightly panicked.

**Countdown: 00.22**

"We're going too fast! We have to put on the brake or else—!" Yukari exclaimed, also in panic.

**Countdown: 00.21**

_"What are you waiting for? There's a train up ahead!"_

**Countdown: 00.20**

Both Yukari and Junpei were rooted on where they were standing, both in fear and panic. Junpei swore as he felt his body frozen and heavy like stone. Yukari also was not in a much better situation.

Naruto quickly took an initiative and ran to the control board.

**Countdown: 00.18**

_'Brake, brake… Which one is the damned BRAKE!'_ Naruto thought in frustration.

**Countdown: 00.17**

The car he's in will crash in less than three seconds, and he didn't know where the damned brake was. He also couldn't try the switches one by one, since time really didn't let it happen. He could even hear both Yukari and Junpei screaming now, and their scream did nothing to ease him.

**Countdown: 00.15**

_'Only one chance… The hell I'll die by this kind of freak accident,'_ Naruto thought and swore, and so he quickly pulled what he hoped as the brake, hoping that his luck won't fail him now.

**Countdown: 00.13**

Naruto never thought a squeaking sound of an emergency brake could sound this beautiful.

**Countdown: —**

It was all silent for a while as Naruto walked back towards his shivering teammates. It was Junpei who got into his senses first.

"D-Did we stop…?" Junpei asked, still shaking as he lifted his head to see the scenery outside the window stilled, no longer moving. Yukari was next.

"I-I think so…" she said, not less pathetic than Junpei. Naruto could see both of them let out relieved sighs when the fact dawned to them, but they were obviously still shaking.

_"Is everybody alright?"_ he heard Mitsuru asked worriedly. It was Yukari who answered her first.

"Uh, y-yeah. We're okay," she said, before she suddenly chuckled as she tried to stand up, "Ha, haha… My knees are shaking…"

"Dude… I'm like…drenched in sweat!" Junpei said as he, too, stood up wobbly.

Naruto then heard Mitsuru let out a relieved sigh. _"I'm so glad you're safe,"_ she said, _"I'm sorry I couldn't do more on my end."_

_"I don't detect any more Shadows. You guys did a great job, so come on home."_

They were just about to do just that, but a question they had to ask. It was Yukari who voiced it.

"But, how did you know which one was the brake?" she asked. Naruto was contemplating whether he should tell them that they really almost died, since he had bet it all to Lady Luck and Fate.

In the end, he answered with a serious face, "I guessed."

Junpei suddenly fell down again after hearing such simple and unbelievable answer. "Ah, man… I don't care anymore," he said. He really just wanted to forget tonight as a nightmare. It really has been a scary and too much of his adrenaline had been used. He just wanted to go to sleep now.

"You saved me again. Thanks," Yukari expressed her gratitude, seemingly unaffected by such blunt answer. Naruto nodded in reply. "It's nothing," he said. It was then a tarot card with the number Zero once again invaded his mind, repeating a line he had come to remember.

_Thou art I… And I am thou_

_Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Fool Arcana…_

==/==/==/==/==

**Iwatodai Dorm – Late Night**

The Dark Hour ended when they were just a few steps away from their Dorm. Both Yukari and Junpei couldn't wait to reach their bed to ease the tiredness that came in full impact after their fight. Mitsuru had returned to the Dorm ahead of them, due to her motorcycle. They could see her waiting by the side of the entrance to the dorm.

"You did a great job tonight," Mitsuru said with a small smile, "Go return to your room and rest well. You deserved it."

Both Yukari and Junpei smiled sheepishly at the compliment and was about to enter the dorm, before they noticed that their blue-haired friend wasn't following. When they turned to said friend, they saw him rooted at his spot.

"Minato-kun?" Yukari asked worriedly.

Suddenly, Naruto turned back towards where they came from and began to ran, after he spoke his explanation.

"Sorry! I think I left something back at the station!" he said.

"Wait-! Minato-kun!"

==/==/==/==/==

Naruto stopped suddenly as he felt a presence nearby. He was in a road connecting the dorm and the station.

"So you've arrived?" he called out to the darkness, "Itachi?"

A dark figure appeared from the darkness, revealing itself to be no one other than Uchiha Itachi. His long hair that reached his back was left untied, and Naruto could see that he was in a bad mood, as his Sharingan flaring red.

"What was that, that green moon and coffins?" Itachi asked without wasting much time. Naruto, on the other hand, just smiled knowingly.

"You saw it? They called it the Dark Hour," Naruto said. "I don't really know much yet, but it was quite an interesting hour."

Itachi didn't think so though. "It was an annoying hour. I hated it. So sickening…" he said as he glared even harder.

"Sickening?" Naruto repeated before he let out a hearty laugh. "I guess it was for you."

The laugh didn't last for long, before he looked up to the sky to see the normal night sky before a fond smile appeared on his lips.

"I guess sky like this is really the best, don't you agree?"

* * *

**Sapphire09: **I feel so ashamed for not updating for so long! And when I did, I gave you such crappy chapter... Please forgive me ;A;

I've been pretty busy even since my school started... I'm also in the middle of my first term exam... Such short chapter... and I had planned to increase the word count too! But alas, time just not on my side...

I really hope you like this chapter though... After so long of not updating, I'll feel really bad if the chapter I gave isn't satisfactory enough...

By the way, please wish me good luck on my exam. If I passed it, I don't need to re-take it, and so I'll be able to concentrate in making more and more chapters! Meaning, faster update! Ehehehe... ^.^

**Special Thanks: Fan of Fanfics21** and of course all of my readers and reviewers! It's all thanks to you I got motivated enough to continue writing despite the hell called tests.

Reviews are very appreciated!


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